Tag - yakuza-0

 
 

YAKUZA 0

Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 19, 2019
Top Japanese comedian to retire in wake of 'underground business' scandal
Thanks to his purported gig entertaining elements of Japan's underworld in 2014, Hiroyuki Miyasako no longer has a contract with influential Yoshimoto Kogyo.
Japan Times
JAPAN / FOCUS
Jul 9, 2019
Japanese comedians turn to yakuza-linked 'underground performances' due to unstable income
Despite mounting criticism over recently revealed "underground performances" for organized crime by some comedians, quitting such work appears difficult, as they are important sources of income for the entertainers, many of whom are apparently not earning enough money from activities through their talent agencies, experts say.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / DARK SIDE OF THE RISING SUN
Jul 6, 2019
As Japan prepares to open casinos, gangs won't be afraid to test security
Japan is currently creating a legal framework to operate casinos via a system of integrated resorts, but concerns persist that they'll be prime targets for organized crime once they're finally up and running by 2024.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Kyushu
Jul 5, 2019
Guardian Angels Japan finding less to do in Kitakyushu, one-time city of yakuza 'endless conflict'
Up until five years ago, the city of Kitakyushu had for decades grappled with so many shootings and violent attacks by organized crime groups that it was known as a city of shura (never-ending conflict).
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 25, 2019
Talent agency suspends 11 comedians for accepting money from alleged organized crime group
A major talent agency on Monday suspended 11 of its comedians for conducting "underground business" and attending a party hosted by a purported organized crime group without consulting with the company.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / DARK SIDE OF THE RISING SUN
Jun 1, 2019
Historic justification for Japan's tattoo ban is no longer relevant
With the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games a little more than a year away, it's time for Japan to turn the page on tattoos. It's hard to argue with a straight face in this day and age that tattoos are exclusively used by members of the yakuza and ex-criminals. It's a no-brainer.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
May 23, 2019
Under Japan's revised anti-gangster law, yakuza boss told to pay damages for money transfer scam
A court on Thursday ordered the head of the Sumiyoshi-kai crime syndicate to pay damages over money transfer scams committed by a fraud group formed by an affiliated gang member.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / DARK SIDE OF THE RISING SUN
May 4, 2019
Japan's gang members are running out of places to hide
Membership in organized crime syndicates has been decreasing about 10 percent each year since 2011, according to National Police Agency statistics.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Apr 27, 2019
Yukio Mishima’s attempt at personal branding comes to light in the rediscovered 'Star'
In 'Star,' Yukio Mishima confronts issues of celebrity, youth and aging in hypercharged and manically subjective first-person prose.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Apr 25, 2019
Police can use wiretapping devices to decrypt and record at prefectural HQs across Japan from June
The National Police Agency revised wiretapping regulations Thursday, enabling investigators from June 1 to listen in on phone conversations while at headquarters of prefectural police departments without the presence of officials from telecommunications carriers.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books / RECENTLY PUBLISHED BOOKS ABOUT JAPAN
Apr 6, 2019
'Falling From the Floating World' review: A fast-paced underworld thriller with a twist or two
Readers who like their yakuza with a dash of morality, lead characters out of their depths and their cops dumb and bent will find much to enjoy in Nick Hurst's thriller, 'Falling From the Floating World.'
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Apr 3, 2019
15 Japanese arrested in Thailand raid accused of scamming more than ¥225 million
A group of 15 suspected Japanese scammers arrested last week in Thailand acquired more than ¥225 million ($2 million) in illegal proceeds in February and March alone, Thai police and other sources said Tuesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Mar 28, 2019
Hokkaido court convicts ex-gangster, saying drug charge 'provable' without illegal warrantless GPS data
A Hokkaido court convicted a man Thursday of possessing stimulant drugs, but ruled some of the evidence gathered by police using GPS data without a warrant was inadmissible.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Mar 28, 2019
Record 3,578 involved in cannabis cases in 2018, with rate among Japan's teens up fivefold since 2014
Police took action against a record 3,578 people in cannabis cases in 2018, up 570 from the previous year, data released by the National Police Agency showed Thursday.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Feb 21, 2019
Damages from 'it's me' and other petty fraud scams in Japan down for fourth straight year
Victims who were age 65 or older stood at 78.0 percent, underscoring the need to focus on senior citizens in taking preventive measures.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jan 30, 2019
Police raid yakuza office in Tokyo after deadly shooting in Kabukicho karaoke box
Police on Wednesday raided the Tokyo office of a yakuza group associated with a man wanted in connection with a murder earlier this month in Shinjuku Ward.
Japan Times
JAPAN / EXPLAINER
Jan 28, 2019
Japan-U.S. law enforcement fingerprint data-sharing pact kicks off, raising privacy concerns
Earlier this month, Japan and the United States began sharing fingerprint data among their law enforcement agencies under a bilateral agreement.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jan 22, 2019
Shooting in Tokyo's Kabukicho district leaves man dead; police suspect yakuza links
Police said Tuesday a man believed to have shot and killed another man the previous day at a karaoke bar in Tokyo's Kabukicho entertainment hub fled from the scene via motorcycle, suggesting the suspect had prepared a means of getaway.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / DARK SIDE OF THE RISING SUN
Nov 3, 2018
Fukuoka enlists artificial intelligence in fight against organized crime
Advances in artificial intelligence have come along in leaps and bounds in recent years, prompting police in Fukuoka and Kyoto to look into ways of using the technology to tackle organized crime.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Sep 15, 2018
'Yakuza Tattoo': Inside the secretive world of the yakuza's tattoos
Andreas Johansson spent almost three weeks immersed in the world of the yakuza, photographing and talking to around 30 gang members for his book, 'Yakuza Tattoo.'

Longform

Later this month, author Shogo Imamura will open Honmaru, a bookstore that allows other businesses to rent its shelves. It's part of a wave of ideas Japanese booksellers are trying to compete with online spaces.
The story isn't over for Japan's bookstores